His Little Princess
by hispreciousthing
Summary: As a child, Sarah thought of herself as brave, daring, and terribly adventurous. However, to everyone else Sarah was stubborn, single-minded, and out to make trouble. In the end everyone (Sarah's parents included) simply gave up on her. All except one. Child!Sarah (Basically I got stuck on the idea of Jareth taking care of a young Sarah).
1. The Meeting

Authors's Note:

I wrote this story in a binder a LONG time ago and during a twelve-hour drive (don't even get me started) I finally decided to record it into an electronic document.

I became obsessed with Sarah meeting Jareth when she was a child and sort of rolled with it. I had a lot of fun writing this story of how the Goblin King came to meet a tiny Sarah Williams.

Cover art belongs to imaginarium on (it was the inspiration for this fic, honestly) She has another adorable doodle of a little Sarah hugging a goblin, too.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes)

* * *

As a child, Sarah Williams thought of herself as brave, daring, and terribly adventurous. She often boasted that if she came face-to-face with a ferocious dragon or some other man-eating beast she wouldn't be even remotely frightened. In fact, she said she would be able to defeat the creature without breaking a sweat.

However, to everyone else Sarah was stubborn, single-minded, and out to make trouble. The neighbors had quickly learned that any attempts to reason with her were futile. So in the end everyone (Sarah's parents included) simply decided to let the child run free. To say it more accurately: they simply gave up.

All except one.

"That's dangerous, you know," called a smooth, baritone voice.

Sarah didn't falter for a moment. She stayed steady as she balanced on a high branch of a tall tree. She had spotted a bird's nest the other day and had decided it was her duty to investigate said nest and make sure the new family was setting in well.

"I'll be fine!" Such was her usual answer.

"What, exactly, are you attempting to do?" His tone was mildly curious.

"I'm checking on the bird family!" Sarah responded as she clambered onto the branch just below the nest. "They just moved in."

"I see."

There was silence for a moment as Sarah inched ever closer to the nest.

"Sarah, do you know what kind of bird makes that nest?"

"Nuh-Uh."

Very slowly, Sarah stood on her branch. She was almost eye level with the nest. If she could just get a little higher...

Suddenly, a loud screech pierced the still air. A barn owl came shooting out of the nest and dived straight for Sarah. She gasped, lost her balance and fell from the branch.

She didn't scream as she fell, only squeezed her eyes shut and waited for impact. However, before she could hit the ground a strong pair of arms quickly snatched her out of the air, pulling her into a strong chest. Surprised, she looked up to peer at her rescuer.

Two mismatched eyes met her own, and she quickly realized this man was not one of her neighbors.

"I did warn you," said the stranger.

Sarah was momentarily speechless. This man was by far the strangest she had ever seen in her few living years. He wore a lot of makeup around his eyes (it reached all the way up to his eyebrows) and his hair was messy and wild. He was captivating and, in Sarah's eyes, _super_ cool looking. She wondered if he was a rock star.

"Didn't your parents tell you that it's dangerous to disturb a bird's nest?" queried the stranger.

"Mommy and daddy don't talk to me very much," said Sarah amiably. "Mommys always gone for her acting and daddy works late nights at the office."

The handsome stranger frowned. "Who watches over you, then?"

"Merlin!" piped Sarah.

The man raised a brow, glancing to the young sheepdog who wagged his tail and stuck out a long, pink tongue.

Shaking his head, the stranger gently lowered Sarah to the ground and for the first time the little girl was able to get a good look at her rescuer.

He was even more different than she had initially thought. In addition to his strange features, he also wore a long, dark cape and midnight-encrusted armor. She thought he was quite tall, but just about everyone seems tall when one was so little.

"Are you a prince?" she blurted.

The man chuckled humorously. "No, love. But you _were_ rather close. Well done." He reached out a gloved hand and patted her head.

Reaching up, Sarah wrapped her tiny hands around his wrist. He watched her with a bemused expression as she she inspected his gloves.

"What's this stuff?" Sarah asked, tracing his palm with little fingers. When she held up the her hand her skin glittered in the sunlight.

"Magic," he told her. She looked up at him with bright eyes. "Well, the remains of it. Where magic happens this substance is left behind."

"Show me! Show me!" Sarah exclaimed with childish exuberance.

"Be patient, pet," he said with a toothy grin.

She pouted and jutted out her lower lip. "But I wanna see!" Balling her hands into fists she stomped her foot and raised her voice. "Show me!" she demanded.

His expression darkened considerably. "Sarah," his deep tone held a warning edge that forced her to pause. "Do not command me. I shall show you my powers when you prove to me that you are ready to see them."

"But I am ready," she whined petulantly.

"No, love. You're filthy. You've ruined your clothing playing in the mud." Jareth raised a haughty brow and placed his hands upon his hips.

Sarah looked down at herself. It was true that her well-worn overalls and undershirt were caked with dirt and mud.

"Come, come. Let's go and get you cleaned up." The stranger extended his hand to her.

"I'm not supposed to let people I don't know come into the house," Sarah said dubiously.

"It's nice to know your parents taught you something," he muttered.

"That's how people get robbed," she clarified.

The man closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked peeved and was still for a moment before he sharply expelled a breath.

"Well, Sarah, I am not a stranger to you. I am your friend. Now, let's get you cleaned up." Once again, he held out his hand.

Overjoyed at finally making a friend, Sarah eagerly took the offered hand and asked, "What's your name?"

"Jareth," he said. A small smile graced his thin lips.

* * *

Author's Note:

Do not fret! I have more to add to this work and all I need to do is go through for spelling/grammar errors. Reviews are greatly appreciated!

(And for all of you wanting to kill me for _A Midsummer Knight's Dream_... Yeah, you might as well just grab the torches and pitchforks.)

Fanfiction, for some strange reason, will not allow me to post a link to the cover artist so please visit imaginarium at Deviantart to view the cover art and all of her other lovely works!


	2. The Stir

_There was another stir. Jareth could always feel them. The goblins could, too; they widened their eyes and looked around excitedly. This stir was a large one, a whole area was being affected rather than a single household._

 _A stir generally meant soon a child was going to be wished away. Most of the time it was concentrated on a single person or home. Only rarely was it larger; many small bursts usually came sporadically around Aboveground holidays or when a couple of neighborhood kids decided to play nefarious pranks on their neighbors._

 _This stir, however, was the largest he could ever recall feeling. Jareth could easily imagine it was caused by a group (probably consisting of teenagers) having a ball terrorizing the streets._

 _He was then, understandably, surprised by what he saw when he finally decided to investigate the cause of the stir._

 _It was only a single girl. A very small one, too. She looked to have only reached about five years of her mortal life._

 _For hours he watched her roam free in the same manner of a wild animal. She did have a house to return to when evening came, but she was alone until long after she had retired to her bed._

 _Usually he would have stopped his investigation there. The King would have gone back to his castle and patiently waited for someone to wish the child away. However, this time he found himself fascinated. He simply couldn't understand how such a little slip of a girl could cause a stir so large. He became determined to find the reason and so he decided to stay until an explanation presented itself._

 _Usually the key points to a stir stemmed from a parent or an older sibling. However, he came to observe that she had no brothers or sisters and that her only contact with her parents was generally rare and extremely brief._

 _She spent most of her days at a large and expansively green park with her pet sheepdog. She didn't seem to have many friends, but she didn't have any enemies either. In fact, she elected to spend most of her time alone._

 _Turning his eyes away from the child, the King began searching around the neighborhood. He listened to people's conversations about the girl (quickly learning her name was Sarah) and painstakingly tried to find someone who held an inkling of animosity for the child._

 _He could not find a single person who despised Sarah's existence._

 _Frustrated after his fruitless search, he turned his attention back to the child. Perhaps he could locate the issue if he observed her more closely._

 _Having truly focused his attention on her, Jareth found she was exceptionally beautiful for a human child. Her tangled hair was a lovely shade of chocolatey brown and she had a cherubic face. It was her eyes that drew him to her the most; they were a deep forest green and endlessly filled with wonder._

 _He soon realized she was an adventurous child. Only when she had explored the whole expanse of her favorite park did she turn to her role-play. He watched her for hours on end, constantly finding himself wondering how it was this young child harbored such a vast imagination. She was so animated and joyful as she acted out her made-up scenes of saving animals stuck in trees or running through the green fields in chase of some wicked beast; a beast which, when captured, she always tamed instead of slaying._

 _She was the happiest, gentlest, and most carefree child he had ever laid his eyes on._

 _So who in the world would want her gone? Even after a days of watching he could find no answer._

 _One night, long after she had turned out her lights, he decided to stay at watch. He would have to leave in the morning; there had obviously been a fluke with the stir. Perhaps his powers had gone on the fritz or he had simply imagined it._

 _Perched high on a tree in his owl form in her front yard, Jareth watched Sarah's father return home. He looked weary; his shoulders were slumped and his shoes dragged on the ground as he walked. The mother returned home about an hour later in a completely different state; she wobbled drunkenly on her heels and threw the front door open with a whooping laugh._

 _The King watched the father rise from where he had sunken into a worn leather chair. He stormed over to the mother with his anger clear in the red blotches on his face. His wife's pretty smile dimmed and it wasn't long before shouts and angry words were exchanged between the pair._

 _With an inward sigh Jareth flitted to the tree outside Sarah's window. He would peer at the girl for just a moment, wish her luck in her short mortal life, and then be off._

 _He gazed into her window and was instantly shocked by what he saw. The brave girl who dreamt of slaying dragons and winning fearsome battles was lying in her bed, curled on her side with her knees against her chest while crystal-like tears gently dripped down her rounded cheeks._

 _That was when he felt it: a stir so strong it nearly toppled him over. No neighbor or family member wished for her to disappear. It was_ her. _Sarah wished, with every fiber of her being, to be spirited away from her home._

 _A strange pressure inside Jareth's chest began to swell. Suddenly he knew that there was absolutely no way he could leave this child alone._

 _He would be the one to protect her._

* * *

 _Author's note: A big thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed! I am so glad that everyone seems to be enjoying this as much as I have. For those of you who missed sassy little Sarah in this chapter do not fret! There is a lot of her in the next chapter!  
_

 _If anyone is confused- this is a flashback to when Jareth first found Sarah. The previous chapter was the two of them meeting for the first time._


	3. The Present

Closing the front door behind them, Jareth made sure it was properly bolted before turning to Sarah.

"Go clean up," he ordered.

"Okay!" Sarah scurried up the stairs and Jareth promptly used his magic to mop up the dirt she left in her wake. He heard a door close and nodded in satisfaction when the bath began running.

Then he began his investigation of the house. It wasn't impeccably neat, but it was kept relatively tidy. Meandering his way upstairs, he passed the washroom just in time to hear the water stop. It wasn't long before a tiny voice began singing very off-key. Smiling to himself, Jareth walked further down the hall and peered into her bedroom.

It was a room that undoubtedly belonged to a child. Truly, it looked as if a Toy Bomb had gone off inside of it. Carefully wading through the mess, he spotted everything from puzzle books to full-size dolls. Her parents didn't pay any attention to her and it was glaringly obvious they tried to make up for their incompetence with many materialistic gifts.

"No good comes from spoiling a child like this," he tsked.

After pausing for a moment to make sure he could still hear Sarah's voice, he glanced to her dresser.

"She'll need nightwear," he murmured, only just realizing this. Making his way over (and almost tripping over a board game) he opened up her drawer and peered inside.

"Now this is just dreadful." His lips turned into a scowl as he picked up the first offending garment at the top of a pile. It was a one-piece footie decorated with cartoon unicorns.

"Is this an insult?" he muttered darkly as he kept finding more hideous garments within the drawer.

"This simply won't do." Flinging the pajamas back into the drawer, Jareth placed his hands on his hips with a huff.

Conjuring a crystal, the King dropped it into the drawer. In the blink of an eye, all of her disgusting cotton garments were replaced by ones made of the finest silk. Grinning, he plucked one out of the drawer.

"Much, much better." Still grinning, Jareth made his way back to the bathroom door. He placed the clothing on the floor and rapped his knuckles against the wood.

"I'm leaving nightwear for you outside the door, alright?"

"Okay!"

"Are you almost finished?"

"Yeah-huh. Wait in my room!" The order was followed by the sound of splashing and then the loud gurgle of water leaving through a drain.

Turning on his heel, Jareth did as he was told. He perched himself on her vanity chair and surveyed the catastrophic room.

Walking in a few moments later, Sarah was quick to ask, "Where did these pajamas come from?"

Jareth turned his attention to her and smiled. He had gifted her a ruffled top and a matching pair of shorts. They were emerald green, silk, and lined with a bow in the center of her chest and two more; one on the outside of each leg. She looked quite adorable.

"I summoned them for you. I replaced the whole drawer," he informed her.

"It's so slippery," she said, running her hands over the fabric.

He chuckled. "It's silk, pet."

"Can you make all my clothes with it?" Sarah asked excitedly.

Jareth raised a brow. His voice took a haughty edge once more as he said, "Sarah, one must always give thanks after receiving a generous gift."

"Why?" she quickly challenged.

He blinked, not quite expecting that.

"Because it is proper," he offered.

"Why?" Sarah repeated, crossing her arms defiantly.

Jareth felt an instant flash of annoyance. Then he paused. Now that he considered it, she was asking a fairly sensible question.

"Well," he began after a moment's' thought, "one must thank another for a gift because it conveys their gratitude. In addition, showing such gratitude may prompt the return of more gifts or favors."

Sarah seemed to contemplate this. "So if I want you to give me more things, I need to say thanks?"

He nodded. "More or less."

"Then thank you!" she said cheerily, a large smile blooming on her face.

Jareth couldn't help but chuckle. He was beginning to enjoy her candor. After a moment he tilted his head, watching as she continued to stand in the doorway.

"Now, Sarah, what are we going to do about this?" he asked, gesturing to the cluttered floor.

"I don't wanna clean it up," she quickly snapped.

"Really now?" The King shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I don't feel like breaking my neck trying to navigate this mess, so I shall clean it."

"You will?" Sarah asked, delighted. "Do it with magic!"

Jareth scoffed. "I will _not_ waste my powers cleaning." He reached out and grabbed a plastic baby doll off the floor. Rising, he crossed to set it on a shelf.

"She goes in the toy box," Sarah commented.

"As I am the one cleaning, I'll put things where I deem they should go." He picked another toy off of the floor and crossed the room. "You can move it, if you like," he informed her.

Grumbling, Sarah snatched the doll and put it in the toy box. She also plucked the toy Jareth had just placed on her dresser and placed it on a display shelf. This pattern continued until, with a frustrated huff, Sarah ordered Jareth to sit.

Settling back into the vanity chair he watched, amused, as she proceeded to clean her entire room.

"Well done, Sarah. Your room looks much better." Smirking, Jareth watched Sarah realize that he had tricked her. Her little face turned a glorious shade of red.

Before she could spout the angry words that he was sure would come, he asked, "Shall I reward you?"

The young girl instantly perked up. Her anger was quickly replaced by overbounding excitement.

"Come now, lie down in your bed," Jareth ordered.

Sarah practically dove into the mattress. It was amusing to watch her frantically wiggle under the sheets. Once she was settled with only her little head peeking up from under the covers, the king carefully sat on the edge of her bed and rested his back against the headboard.

Slowly, he extended out a single gloved hand. Glancing down to her, he saw that her doe eyes were following his every movement. He could practically feel the excitement radiating off of her.

Fighting the urge to chuckle, Jareth concentrated his magic and flicked his wrist. A small crystal appeared in his hand. Sarah exclaimed and sat up, but he held up his other hand to stop her. "Not yet."

She looked to him and he inclined his head back toward the crystal. When she looked at it again, it began to expand rapidly like a balloon. She gasped and giggled when it softly popped and rained down a shower of glitter.

Once the cloud dissipated, Sarah's eyes widened at what Jareth held in his hand. Under a glass pavilion, a lovely brown-haired girl in a white sugarplum dress twirled to an enchanting melody.

"Do you like it?" Jareth queried, handing her the trinket.

Captivated, the little girl gingerly took it into her hands and stared inside. For a long time she simply sat watching the tiny dancer who so resembled herself twirl around.

"I love it," she whispered. Sarah then looked up to him with a smile that brightened the whole room. "Thank you."

Jareth felt something strange stir in his chest. Even stranger, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead without a second thought. "You are quite welcome, Sarah."

"I wanna put it on my nightstand," she said, trying to reach over him to place it down.

"Allow me." He took the music box from her and gently set it down.

He turned back to her and reflexively jolted when he felt a real pressure on his chest. When he looked down in confusion, he saw that she had rested her head upon him as if he were her pillow.

For a tense moment, he wasn't quite sure how to react. He was not used to physical contact in the form of affection. With a sigh, he finally decided there was not much he could do about it. Snapping his fingers, he magicked his armor away and replaced it with with a flowy white poet's shirt. He even made sure to shift his amulet away from her head.

"Comfortable?" he queried.

"Mmm-hmm." Came a distracted reply. Sarah's eyes were still trained on her present. "What's the music?"

"Something I composed myself," he informed her a bit proudly.

"I want to hear the song." She yawned, her voice beginning to soften.

"I haven't written a song for it yet," he told her. "When I do, I'll sing it for you."

"I wanna hear you sing now," she murmured. "Please?"

"Very well, but you have to close your eyes." He ran his fingers through her hair, helping to untangle it with a bit of magic.

He watched as her eyes slipped closed and then began to sing. It was a song she had undoubtedly never heard before; a Fae lullaby. His mother had often sung it to lull him to sleep many years ago.

It didn't take much time for her to fall asleep. She was unconscious long before he finished his song.

Gently, he moved her head off of his chest and onto a down-filled pillow before rising from the bed. He tucked her sheets around her allowed his gaze to linger for just a moment on her peaceful face. Watching her, he felt a bittersweet smile form on his lips.

He had to leave her now and for good. He couldn't stay with her any longer. He had a kingdom and she had her mortal life. He only hoped that now she would finally be at ease.

Before he could think twice about his actions, he placed a tender kiss to her forehead and, with one last fleeting look, turned into his owl form and flew out her open window.

* * *

Author's note: I hope you enjoyed and there is more still coming! As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!


	4. The Vow

A week passed without him feeling a single stir from the child. This was a good sign, or at least that was what he continued to remind himself. He was supposed to feel relieved. Happy, even. He had been able to console Sarah to the point at which she no longer felt lost in her own world.

So why did he find himself slouched upon his throne feeling completely and utterly depressed?

He had been brooding ever since he had returned back to the castle. Due to his gloomy mood, his labyrinth's magic had dulled and the sky was constantly dimmed a foggy grey.

Even his imbecilic goblins had taken note of his sullen state. The half that remained in his presence treaded carefully. No goblin wanted to join his companions in the now greatly-populated Bog.

He had managed to keep himself from checking up on her the entire week. In reality this shouldn't have been any sort of feat. Yet Jareth constantly found himself fighting the sometimes-overwhelming urge to produce a crystal and peer into little Sarah's life.

He simply couldn't accept this kind of behavior. It was unbecoming for him. He was a king! He was the Goblin King who had taken dozens of babes and never allowed himself to become emotionally attached to a single one. He couldn't afford such sentiments in his line of work.

So why was this slip of a human child occupying his thoughts in nearly every waking moment?

Jareth strove to convince himself the feelings would simply go away. He could not admit to himself that he had grown attached to her in such a short amount of time.

He would forget about Sarah Williams sooner or later. He had to.

* * *

The stir came two months later and the speed at which Jareth found himself answering Sarah's call embarrassed the hell out of him.

He appeared in the shadows of her room late into the night. Voices could be heard yelling from downstairs, soon followed by a crash. Jareth imagined a vase or something of the like had been thrown against the wall and shattered.

He cast his eyes to the bed and was unsurprised to see a form huddled under the sheets. Sarah was softly crying and curled up in the exact same position he had seen her in many nights ago.

Watching her distress yet again caused Jareth to feel a pang in his chest, which was quickly followed by a blood-boiling anger. Why couldn't her parents see for one second how their bickering and self-obsession was hurting this sweet child?

With a flick of his wrist, the music box Jareth gifted Sarah with came to life and began to play. The young girl flinched at the sudden sound and turned around to stare at the box with a perplexed expression.

"If a brave heroine must cry, then she should request a shoulder to cry upon." Jareth spoke as he slowly made his way out of the shadows he had appeared in.

Sarah looked up from her music box. She did not seem surprised to see him even after such a long while. However, her reaction surprised him. Instead of continuing to cry or denying she had even done so in the first place, she raised a small hand to her face and wiped her tears away.

"A hero never shows her weakness to others," she said in a small but definitive voice.

Jareth was momentarily startled into speechlessness, then a slow smile spread on his lips.

"Of course. My apologies." His voice, while formal, was edged with kindness. He strode over to Sarah's bedside and kneeled in front of her. "However, my Lady may talk of her troubles if she wishes to. Every great hero sometimes must turn to a friend."

Sarah sat up in bed and seemed to contemplate his offer. Her gaze slowly found its way back to the music box which still sat playing its melody on her bedside table. She was quiet for a great length of time.

When she finally did speak her voice was barely a whisper, "I'm scared."

Her admission did not come as a surprise. "What are you scared of, pet?" he asked kindly.

When she hesitated he pressed on. "Are you scared your mother and father will hurt each other?"

Sarah glanced down to her lap. When she bowed her head Jareth was sure he had hit a bullseye.

"I'm scared they don't love me," she softly admitted.

Oh... Jareth slowly inhaled. Love. Love was one of those human emotions he never quite understood. He had firsthand experience with obsession and he could admit to affection, but _love_ was too foreign. Love was almost exclusively a human emotion. It was too complicated; even by Fae standards. Love was completely irrational, blinding, and mind-controlling. The Fae people had long given up on trying to understand the concept. Finally, It was deemed very dangerous.

Jareth had, on many occasions, boasted that he had never harbored love for anything. He loved nothing and no one- not even his crown.

Yet here he was, faced with an entirely pure form of love.

A love a child craved from her parents.

Jareth didn't know what to say. He had to admit to himself that he hadn't once observed what he could consider was a true sign of love from Mr. and Mrs. Williams. Surely they did love her. Then again, perhaps not. There was no written rule that a parent must love their child. Raise and care for them, yes, but love...

As Sarah gazed pleadingly into his eyes, Jareth felt his heart splinter.

Without thinking, the King reached out his arms and wrapped the girl in a tender embrace.

"Oh you precious thing," he murmured. Sarah pressed her face into the the crook of his neck. It was not long before he felt warm tears fall upon his skin.

Jareth didn't understand. Sarah was such a perfect child. She was sweet and compassionate. She enjoyed playing and laughing and exploring the outdoors. How could one find her any less than entertaining? Why couldn't her parents realize the blessing they had been given? What did they want from her? Did they want a mannered child? Such only took a basic level of teaching. Hell, even he had been able to explain a simple "thank you."

Jareth sighed as the little form in his arms continued to cry. It was no use to try and lie to her. Sarah knew the truth.

Adults so often underestimated how perceptive children could be. Sarah knew, without anyone having to explain it to her, that her parents did not truly love her.

With another heavy sigh, Jareth shifted so he could lift Sarah into the air before he settled down with his back against her headboard. He cradled the girl in his lap as she sniffled, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

"They don't deserve you," Jareth murmured as he placed a gentle kiss to the crown of her head.

The king felt a sudden and intense wave of hatred directed to Sarah's parents. Why was it they had been blessed with a healthy and beautiful child when his kind had difficulty even conceiving?

Any Fae family would give everything they had for a little girl as perfect as Sarah.

Inhaling slowly, Jareth raised a hand and ran it through the young girl's silky hair.

Any Fae family would give everything they had... But Sarah deserved so much _better_ than an ordinary home.

She deserved the best.

She deserved the world.

She deserved to be a princess.

 _Yes_ , Jareth thought.

Exhausted from her crying, Sarah drifted into a fretful sleep in his arms.

 _If her parents do not want her, then I shall make her mine._

* * *

 _Jareth had, on many occasions, boasted that he had never harbored love for anything- not even his crown._

 _So why was this slip of a human child occupying his thoughts in nearly every waking moment?_

 _Sarah deserved so much better than an ordinary home. She deserved to be a princess._

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ That's it, folks! I don't have any more written and at the moment I'm only _debating_ writing more. For now, though, this is completed! I hope everyone enjoyed! Please tell me how you liked this little story! _  
_


	5. Memory I

Memory I:

Jareth had never thought babysitting would quite so… _tiring._ Sarah's parents had gone away on a vacation and the true babysitter that they had hired to watch over little Sarah was a withered prune of a lady who Jareth was fairly certain was either a narcoleptic or just plain _old_. Either way, the woman was always napping on some surface in the Williams' home and effectively leaving Sarah to her own devices.

Which was _never_ good.

Several months had passed since Jareth had decided he would have Sarah as his little princess. However, he wasn't going to _kidnap_ the child. No, he would do nothing of the sort. He would have Sarah come with him willingly to his kingdom and commit to it fully. She was not yet ready.

Because even though her parents neglected and did not love her, she still loved them with all her heart.

 _Love is dangerous. Love makes us weak._

Jareth visited her often. _Very_ often. As in almost every other day often.

Sarah's loneliness had slowly ebbed away. The first couple weeks or so he found himself answering many a stir that came from her, but now they were much less frequent.

Sarah said she was happy she had made a new friend.

Jareth said he liked being her friend. She was a good friend to have, too.

If not for the fact that she had a seemingly endless supply of natural energy.

It had become routine that the moment he arrived to visit her they would play a game of her choosing outdoors (if the weather permitted). Then, they would come inside and play some more. Sometimes they would play board games, all of which were pathetically easy ( _Candy Land?_ _ **Seriously**_ _?)_. From the moment he arrived nearly up until the time she was to go to bed they played games. He enjoyed himself and Sarah seemed to have an endless amount of fun.

But her activities were completely draining.

If he weren't feeling so completely and utterly exhausted he may have found his current situation amusing. He simultaneously ran a kingdom of rambunctious and pesky _goblins,_ watched over wished away and frightened babes for a maximum of thirteen hours, and mercilessly taunted and tricked every runner that had the misfortune of attempting his labyrinth on a regular basis, but it was a single six year-old _child_ who was zapping every bit of his energy.

"Jareth! Let's play something else!" Sarah's enthusiastic and bubbly voice pierced his ears.

The King of the Goblins groaned at the interruption to the blissful silence he had been able to enjoy for a few sacred moments. He had rested himself upon her bed for just a minute to relax while Sarah cleaned up the mess she had created in the kitchen due to her experiment with _FrankenCandy._

"I am sorry, Sarah mine, but I fear I am exhausted. I shall not be able to play for the rest of tonight." Jareth had his arm thrown over his eyes. His body was begging him just a few more minutes' rest.

"What?" Sarah's voice was petulant. "But you said we were gonna play!"

"Yes, love, but I am too tired to do so now," Jareth responded.

"Alright." Sarah did not sound _at all_ thrilled.

In the few moments of silence that followed Sarah's acquiescence, Jareth felt himself begin to drift into sleep. He sighed blissfully, but that sigh quickly turned into a sharp exhale when he felt a pressure on his chest.

"I'm _bored,"_ Sarah whined, climbing on top of his chest. Her weight was making it difficult to breathe.

 _Can I not have a moment of peace?_ Agitated, Jareth hoped in vain that if he just ignored Sarah she would find her own amusements for the time being.

No such luck.

"Jareth! I wanna play a game!" Sarah's voice had risen in volume. She bounced painfully on his chest and tugged at his hair.

Her whining, pinching, and prodding continued on mercilessly and Jareth did everything in his power to remain unaffected. He would _not_ give in to her. She was in need of learning a lesson; one does not get what one wants by _whining_ for it.

"Jareth!" She had climbed off of his chest and was now whining and squawking loudly into his ear.

His patience snapped.

Bolting upright in bed and seething with anger, Jareth turned a heated glare towards his tormenter.

Only to find her asleep.

For a moment, he was completely thrown off. She had been yelling at him not four seconds ago!

Yet there she was… Curled up next to him and sleeping peacefully. Jareth belatedly realized that she must have expended the rest of her energy trying to rouse him and had effectively tired herself out.

Somehow, he could no longer find it in himself to be upset with her. No, the anger that he had felt moments ago now was completely gone. Chuckling softly and shaking his head, he settled himself back down next to Sarah, brought the blankets up to cover them both, and was finally able to enjoy one of the best night's sleep he had experienced in quite some time.

Only to be waken up by Sarah's bright and jovial face early the next morning.

"Can we play now?" she asked eagerly.

Jareth squinted at her and grumbled, "Precious, I think now is a good time to tell you that I am _not_ a morning person."

Author's Note:

Yes! Due to popular demand and because my muse is strong with this story, I will be writing more of Jareth taking care of our little Sarah! I will be uploading (I don't know how often) many "memories" or stories (I don't know how many. I already have three.) of different instances where Jareth is taking care of Sarah. Enjoy!


	6. Memory II

Memory II:

"What's that?" asked a curious little voice.

"It's a crystal, nothing more," replied a smooth baritone.

Sarah climbed her way into the Goblin King's lap. He quickly readjusted from his lounging position to accompany her, but the crystal he was toying with never once paused its fluid motion in his hand.

The pair was quiet for a moment. Sarah watched on, enthralled, as Jareth danced the crystal over his fingers and under his palm. Jareth glanced to her with mild curiosity, wondering what his little Sarah was expecting to happen.

"I want a crystal," Sarah predictably declared.

"Say your right words," Jareth commanded.

"Please may I have a crystal?" Sarah amended.

"Let me think… No." Jareth responded casually. With a flick of his wrist, the crystal he had been toying with popped like a bubble and vanished.

"What?!" Little Sarah quickly turned to face the King. Her usually kind eyes were alight with indignant rage. "But I said 'please'!"

"And I said 'no'," Jareth responded casually, raising a haughty brow.

"But I want one!" she cried.

Jareth's lip twitched down in displeasure. He did not care for seeing Sarah act this way. "That's too bad, my dear. One, crystals are not to be given out willy-nilly to anyone and everyone. Two, they are much too powerful for one so young. Therefore, no. You may _not_ have one."

Jareth had expected more whining and crying from the now five year old in his lap. What he got surprised him.

Sarah's angry eyes suddenly turned despondent. Adjusting in his lap so she was fully facing him, she folded her tiny hands together as if in prayer.

And proceeded to give him the best butter-me-up of his immortal life.

She prattled _on and on_ about how _nice_ he was, how they were the _best_ of friends, how he had _always_ been there for her when she needed him. She complimented him endlessly and he sat back and listened to her with unwavering amusement.

Oh, but that wasn't all.

"And _I've_ been such a good girl," she started. Cocking his head, he listened now as she listed all of _her_ accomplishments and good deeds. From tidying her room to cleaning her messes, one would think she was a _saint_ for all she had done.

"So I promise that if you just give me one crystal I will _never ever_ ask for anything _ever_ again. I will always be the nicest and bestest girl _ever"_ she finally concluded.

Jareth waited a moment to make sure she truly had finished her appeal. Slowly, his lips turned up into a grin. "My, my. You can certainly plead your case. Can't you, Sarah mine?"

The little girl's eyes sparked and she began to bounce in his lap in excitement. "So you'll give me a crystal?" she asked in a voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

Jareth threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Oh Sarah…" Looking back to her, he wore the fondest expression.

"The answer is still no."

It was that day that the King of the Goblins learned that little human girls really could hit _very_ hard.

Author's Note:

Thank you for all the awesome responses to my continuation of this fic! I promise there will be lots of cute kid Sarah and Jareth in the future! Also maybe some... Not so cute times. This is hurt/comfort for a reason!


	7. Memory III

"This is _so awesome!"_ Sarah cheered. At the present moment, she was running around Jareth's throne room like a chicken with its head cut off. Or, probably more accurately, like a goblin drunk on ale.

"It pleases me that you approve," Jareth said with a chuckle. It was what they called _Spring Break_ in the human realm, which meant Sarah was free from primary school - otherwise called _Elementary_ in her part of the world. Of course, her adoring parents took this as a perfect time to go on a vacation and leave Sarah with that _undying_ babysitter of hers.

It had taken just a small bit of magic to convince said babysitter that Sarah's parents had in fact _not_ called her and she was thus easily exempted from her role as Sarah's weeklong caretaker.

After all, it was a role a certain Goblin King was more than happy to play.

"Sarah, please release Mr. Swilltop now," Jareth requested.

The little girl he was addressing reluctantly dropped the poor goblin she was coddling. To Jareth's surprise, Sarah had not been the least bit shy or scared of the goblins that inhabited his kingdom and infested his castle. In fact, she was quite _enamored_ with them. They had all run away screaming for their lives when Sarah had run after them with arms opened wide for a hug. This particular one had apparently not run fast enough.

"Let's play a game, Sarah," Jareth announced from his perch on his throne.

The girl was before him in an instant. Her hands rested on the seat under the shadow of his leg, which was propped up on the armrest of his chair, and she was nearly _vibrating_ in excitement.

"What game are we gonna play?" she queried.

"Trust me, it's very simple. Actually, it is a spinoff of one our your games; _House_. How about we play _Castle?"_ Jareth flashed Sarah a toothy grin.

The little girl squealed in delight. "Yes yes yes! Who do I get to be?"

"The Princess, of course! And I shall be the King," Jareth told her.

Sarah's expression was not as pleased as he had expected it to be. "But you're already a King. It's not a game if you're playing yourself."

Jareth blinked. "Well, yes. I do suppose so. Who would you have me be?"

"A Prince!" came Sarah's quick reply.

Jareth rolled his eyes to counter the smile that was threatening to pull up his lips. "Oh _fine_ then. Shall I look the part?"

Sarah cocked her head (a new habit she had learned from a certain friend) and appeared curious. "What do you mean?"

Smirking, Jareth summoned a crystal and slowly rose from his throne. "You may want to stand back."

Sarah obediently took a couple steps away. She was now both intrigued and excited. Jareth only asked her to step back when he was about to do something _really cool_ with his magic.

The King did not disappoint. He rolled his the crystal over his hand a couple times before letting it drop to the floor before his feet. There was a loud _POP_ and the crystal exploded with a large, silvery cloud that surrounded Jareth's entire form. As the glittering smoke came wafting toward her, Sarah fanned it out of her face. When it completely cleared, the little girl gasped at the sight before her.

Where Jareth had been there now stood a little boy around Sarah's age - seven or so - with a toothy smirk and mismatched eyes. His features were soft but still angular and his golden hair was gathered into a ponytail at the back of his neck. He wore the same clothes (black breeches and a maroon ruffled shirt) as the tall King that had been in his place not moments before.

"Jareth?" Sarah asked, still looking mildly confused.

"Yes, precious?" the boy replied. His voice was quite a couple octaves higher but still unmistakable.

Jareth's grin grew wider, as did Sarah's.

"Let's explore!" Sarah cried, turning to run out the throne room door.

"Wait, not yet," called Jareth. Sarah stopped and turned back to him.

"Are we quite properly clothed?" Jareth asked, raising a fine brow.

Sarah glanced down to her bright yellow t-shirt and faded overalls. When she looked back to Jareth she simply shrugged her shoulders. "It's just for pretend."

"Oh but it's so much more fun to pretend when you have the costume!" Jareth exclaimed, balancing on the balls of his feet and grinning like mischief. Perhaps it was due to his child form, but he looked positively impish.

"Alright, but I don't want to be a Princess," Sarah declared.

Now it was Jareth's turn to look a tad disappointed. He had wanted nothing more than to dress her up in a well-tailored, beautiful, and regal ballgown fit for a tiny princess.

"Well then what do you want to be?" he asked.

"I'll be a knight! That way _I_ can protect the Prince!" she said, once again bubbling with excitement.

"Oh very well." Jareth couldn't stop a smirk. She _would_ want to play the heroine.

Jareth quickly summoned two crystals and dropped them before his and Sarah's feet. This time, they were both enveloped in a shimmering silver cloud of magic.

Once this cloud had disappeared, Sarah looked down at herself. She squealed in delight when she found that she was clothed in real, golden metal armor with an authentic (but quite blunt) sword swinging at her hip.

"I even have a cape!" she exclaimed happily, noticing the red cloak draping from her shoulders.

"As do I," said Jareth. He had clothed himself in finery that greatly resembled Prince Charming from _Cinderella._ Sarah didn't particularly care for the main characters of that movie, but she loved the mice. Adjusting the epaulettes on his shoulders, he hooked a thumb in his golden belt and flashed Sarah a smile.

"We match!" Sarah commented, noticing his red breeches in accordance to her cape.

"Indeed we do. Shall we go on an adventure?" Jareth queried.

"Alright!" Sarah unsheathed her sword and pointed it into the sky. "Onwards!" she cheered. She then glanced to Jareth with a wide smile.

The boy simply shook his head and smirked. "Protect me well, brave knight."

Sarah's expression turned serious. Sheathing her sword, she surprised Jareth by kneeling in front of him and placing her hand on her breastplate, right over her heart. "I swear to you that I shall protect you with my life." She dropped character by letting out a cheerful giggle. Standing once more, she turned away charged out of the throne room with a fierce battle cry.

Jareth's grin faded as he watched her go. Slowly, his expression grew dark and pained.

"Oh but Sarah… Something of mine has already been stolen. Something precious. And you're the one who took it from me."

Sighing deeply, Jareth followed his princess out of the castle and into the Goblin City.

* * *

Author's Note:

Thank you to all those who reviewed on the last chapter! I'm so glad to see everyone is enjoying this story! I'm still working on these "memory" short stories. They're really fun to write, but they will have a deeper meaning that will be revealed later on!

Please continue to enjoy this story! Thank you all for reading!


	8. Memory IV

Mr. and Mrs. Williams were not on speaking terms this morning. Last night the heated words they'd exchanged had been particularly vicious.

Mrs. Williams couldn't understand how her actions were wrong.

Mr. Williams couldn't understand why his wife acts the way she does.

They both knew a divorce was inevitable.

Neither knew how to explain it to their daughter.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams did not love each other. They never had.

Linda Williams was fickle and had carried a string of lovers all through her college years.

She continued to have lovers after she was married.

Robert Williams had married Linda simply because both their parents had pushed him to do so. Her mother and father hoped a stable man would be able to keep their daughter from acting out. His mother and father thought it would bring in a good deal of money to have a wife that was a famous actress.

He couldn't control his wife. His wife couldn't control her cash flow.

Mr. William's two jobs were barely keeping the family out of bankruptcy.

They both filed for divorce.

Neither knew how to explain it to their daughter.

Sarah hadn't been an accident. Mr. and Mrs. Williams had made an effort to conceive. After all, they couldn't achieve the "American Dream" without a child. But they hadn't made much of an effort to be parents. More accurately, they didn't know _how_ to be parents. They thought giving Sarah a lot of toys would keep her happy. They thought that was all the child needed.

Mr. Williams didn't have much time for his daughter. He didn't know what to do with her, really. To be honest, he had been hoping for a little boy. He had always wanted a boy to take to football games and play catch with a baseball in the yard. He didn't quite care for princess dresses and cute shoes. Robert was a busy man. He never really thought to make time for his daughter.

Mrs. Williams loved having a baby girl. When Sarah was first born, Linda cooed and sighed as she happily clothed her little living doll in every dress and costume she could get her hands on. However, when Sarah was old enough to demand to dress herself, Linda lost most of her interest. She still bought Sarah a lot of clothes and accessories, but her daughter was no longer willing to play the part of the dress-up doll. Soon enough Linda had moved on to other entertainments. In fact, she paid so little attention to her daughter that she didn't even wonder how silk bedclothes had suddenly appeared in her daughter's dirty clothes hamper one day.

Sarah Williams cried when her mother and father told her they were getting a divorce. To be fair, they hadn't explained it very well.

* * *

Author's Note:

*Evil laughter* There is a reason this story is hurt/comfort! I've both grown a bit tired of writing babysitting scenes with Sarah and Jareth (don't get me wrong, I've loved them) and I also want to advance the plot. I've gotten a lot of inquires about if this story is somehow going to fit into the plot of the movie... All I have to say is "Wait and see!"

I hope you continue to enjoy! Hopefully I'll be able to post a tad bit more regularly like this (and I do mean "regularly" as in a once a month basis... Sorry...) But I'm currently finishing up a really awesome year of college!


	9. Memory V

He hadn't felt a pull like this for a long time. A few years, actually. He was sitting on his throne, overseeing court and listening to his imbecilic goblins prattle on and on when he suddenly felt a force that nearly knocked him out of his lounging position.

Sarah.

The goblins were all greatly confused when, in the blink of an eye, a sudden cloud of sparkling dust wafted out from where their King disappeared from his throne.

"What is the matter, my brave heroine?"

He found her under her favorite tree in her favorite park. It was a crisp autumn day and the cool air made her already red nose glow. Tears streamed from her eyes, which shone with a crushing sadness. She hugged her legs tightly to her chest. Her unfocused gaze was fixed on the glistening stream before her.

"Mommy and Daddy aren't going to be together anymore," she whispered in a small voice. Her tiny chest seized and she hiccuped. Overcome by her emotions, she ducked her dead and hid her face in her knees. Soon she was sobbing.

Jareth hesitated. He had known that this was the inevitable outcome. After all, Sarah's parents practically despised each other.

Sarah, apparently, had thought that despite everything; all the shouted insults and broken trinkets, her parents would continue their lives together.

What he did not know was how to feel about it.

He felt sorrow for her, of course. The poor girl no doubt thought it was her fault (as every child does) and would be heartbroken for quite some time. This, of course, was evident as he watched her continue to cry so hard that it seemed she would one day cry a great ocean like Alice in Alice in Wonderland.

The other feeling, the one he was trying valiantly to suppress, was one of excitement. For surely, now that her parents were to be broken apart, Sarah would not want to live with either of them for all the pain they were causing her.

Surely now, after years of unconscious yearning, Sarah would consent to becoming his subject in the Goblin Kingdom.

Oh, but not just his subject. His princess.

Jareth found himself holding his breath as he gazed down at the young girl. He hadn't known - hadn't realized - just how much he desired this. He felt as one does when a great amount of effort has been put toward practicing a particular instrument and now, finally, nearly every note was being perfectly executed and he was so close to finally being delivered the perfect performance.

"Sarah," Jareth breathed her name, then he crouched down before her. She continued to hide her face from him to continue her crying. He ran a hand over her head, his caress as light as a feather.

"Sarah, I- You-" The King was suddenly lost for words. Everything he wanted to tell her was swimming through his mind, but nothing seemed to be able to escape his lips.

I never want you to feel pain again.

I want you to live in the Goblin Kingdom with me.

I want to teach you everything about my world.

I want you to love my labyrinth and its subjects.

I think you are perfect in every way imaginable.

Sarah, I want you to become my princess.

"Everyone, even the other kids at school all ignore me and now Mom and Dad…" Sarah whispered, her muffled voice broken and laced with hiccups. "I just want to get away from this awful place."

Silence.

For a moment, Jareth couldn't process what she had said.

Then, like the sun rising into a morning of gold, realization dawned upon him.

Then, everything clicked into place.

Jareth could have roared his trumph. He could have sung and danced for all the exuberance her admission gave him.

However, he stayed composed. He would not show the happiness that had to be borne from her sorrow. He could never had wanted for her to feel so forsaken by her own kind.

But it was no lie that her abandonment would be the key to his gain.

Jareth continued to gently, soothingly, run his hand over her head. "Sarah, you can come with me," he murmured to her.

Sarah slowly raised her head and looked to him. Her saddened eyes shone with a small ray of hope.

"Really?" she asked.

"Of course. I can make all the arrangements. Soon." Jareth gently wiped the tears away from one cheek and then cupped her small face in his hand. "After all, I think I recall you quite enjoying my Kingdom."

Sarah expelled a shaky breath. Her eyes searched his and slowly, a weak smile formed on the edges of her lips.

"And all my dreams could come true?" she asked.

Jareth chuckled and gifted her with a warm, comforting smile. "As my lady wishes."

"Then please. Yes, please take me away," Sarah responded, her voice only growing stronger with each word.

Jareth would be more than happy to comply.

However, neither the King nor the young girl knew of the obstacle that would soon place itself within their path.

* * *

Author's note:

You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?

Yaaaaaay! I stuck to my promise and am uploading this at the first of the month. I know my updates are slow, so please forgive me! Finals are this month (*coughhackwheeze*) so I'm glad I was able to get this out before I was completely swamped!

I hope you all continue to enjoy!

Edit on 12/02/2016:

Shoutout to foxchick1 for messaging me about the formatting issue that happened to this chapter! Thanks, dearie!


	10. The Challenge

" _Why do you doubt me, Father?" hissed an irate Goblin King. He paced the smooth stones in the grand palace that belonged to the man before him._

" _Because she is a mortal child from the human's world, my son. She is not yours to take." The King of the Faeries wore an expression of bafflement. "Pray tell me, since when did you actually_ desire _to take a child? I have only ever heard you_ complain _about your duties!"_

" _She is not wanted in the human world," said Jareth, ignoring his father's latter statement. "Her parents have disregarded her, a canine is her only companion, and she_ wishes _to be in my care." Jareth stopped his pacing to stand before his father. His shoulders were tense and his clenched jaw flexed._

" _No child may be under your care unless it is wished away," said Jareth's father._

" _She shall wish herself away," Jareth responded. "She already wishes it with all her heart. She must only say the words for it to be true."_

 _There was a lengthy pause. The King of the Faeries quirked a brow._

" _That is how I first found her, Father," Jareth said, "She created her own stir. This… human child has pure magic within her heart. She is unlike any other of her kind. That is why she is unable to create any lasting bond with other humans. She does not belong in the Human Realm. She belongs with_ me _."_

" _Is that so?" His father took a moment to ponder what Jareth had said. Finally, he admitted, "Then I shall admit that perhaps she does belong here, if what you say is the truth. There are precious few humans who still have magic within them. That alienation will only cause her to suffer in the Above world."_

" _You have my gratitude, Fa-"_

" _Wait." The King of the Faeries held up a hand to silence his son. "I admit she may belong in this realm, but although she may possess a small fragment of magic she is still a_ human _. How should she deserve to be welcomed to your kingdom as your Princess?"_

" _She is worthy. She can prove herself," Jareth hastily assured._

 _Jareth's quick response was met with an amused curl of the lips and a cocky tilt of the head._

" _Alright. She shall prove her worthiness." His father narrowed his eyes as he regarded his son. "But I shall pick the terms."_

" _Name anything. She will be triumphant and prove herself." Jareth's tone was surprisingly strong and sure._

 _However, when his father named the task, Jareth's conviction wavered._

 _Not because he didn't think Sarah would be unable to pass the test to be set before her, but because he didn't think_ he _would be able to go through with administering it._

 _Eventually, he would do what needed to be done._

 _Only, it would take much more time than he had expected._

 _And this would not only be her test, but his as well._

 _For the rules dictated that he would have to become a dream. He must make her forget, and then he must allow her to grow without his hand to help guide her._

 _He would have to keep his distance, because this was a test she had to pass all on her own._

 _He only hoped_ his _will was strong as hers._

* * *

Author's Note: I know I'm late! Soooooorry! I was gone for the holidays and with my birthday and traveling and all that jazz time got away from me. Not to mention that out of nowhere this cat decided to invade my apartment today and we've spent the day becoming friends. I've named her Creme Brulee and no I am not keeping her... I think...

Well now Creme has decided to invade my keyboard and her head is partially covering my monitor so I think she wants attention.

As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing and just enjoying this story! See you in the next chapter!


	11. Memory VI

It was a barely a few months after she turned fourteen that Sarah heard the news; Karen was pregnant. Months later, the test results came back.

Karen was going to have a baby boy.

Sarah felt as if she were fading into oblivion.

With an expression that varied from pained to furious she watched on, feeling invisible, as Karen and her father began creating the baby's nursery.

Right across the hall from her bedroom.

Her father looked happier than she had ever seen him as he put together the store-bought crib for his baby boy's nursery. He glanced to Karen, who was slowly and carefully painting the walls, with a look of pure adoration. Sarah wondered if that expression would have made her feel happy if she had seen it when she was younger. Now, it only made her feel more infuriated.

That was a look that he had _never_ given her.

It was as if she was invisible.

Sarah quickly turned her heel and stomped into her bedroom. She slammed the door hard, which only earned a quick shout of, "No slamming doors in this house, young lady!"

Unbidden, tears welled in Sarah's eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

She heard a commotion outside. Making her way over to the window, she saw her beloved sheepdog, Merlin, barking up at her. She put her hand up to the glass, feeling another wave of hurt and anger wash over her.

"I'm sorry, Merlin," she murmured, "But there's nothing I can do. I wouldn't be surprised if they kicked _me_ out, too."

Turning away from the window, Sarah sat on her overly-plush bed with a heavy sigh that quickly turned into a grunt of pain. Reaching under her, she pulled out the red, leather bound book that she had accidentally sat on.

A faint spark of recognition registred when she saw the book, but she somehow couldn't remember where she had got it from or how it had ended up on her bed.

" _Labyrinth_ …" she read the title aloud. Curious, she opened the book to the first page.

Immediately, she was hooked. She couldn't tear her eyes away and she didn't stop reading the book until she had memorized every single line.

" _Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered…_ " she spoke the lines over and over and over again in play until the fateful day she spoke them to a King.

* * *

Author' Note: Hello! Yes, I am SO sorry this chapter is rather short but I am currently developing the next chapter which (I hope) will be longer! A big thanks to everyone that had been reading and reviewing and simply enjoying this story! It is a joy to write, truly.

Hm? What's that? You think this chapter may be the one before the final chapter? OF COURSE NOT. I still have to write the turmoil from Jareth's point of view.

(Be warned: It's likely going to be a bit depressing. He's not coping well without his Sarah.)

As always, thank you to everyone who stops by and enjoys this story! You're wonderful! See you in the next one.


	12. The Beginning

Allowing Sarah to grow without him was proving to be one of the most difficult things Jareth had ever done in his entire life.

Of course, _she_ didn't miss his presence in her life at all. He had become nothing more to her than an imaginary friend. She moved on without him, unaffected, simply believing that she had grown out of a phase of her life.

It was somehow worse than being forgotten. She did remember him to an extent, but only thought him to be a product of her imagination.

He had become nothing more than a _fairy tale._

Jareth threw another crystal against the wall with an angry shout. He had been watching her. _Again._

"They're messing her up," he hissed. His eyes, shining with rage, fixated on a single goblin who began to cower and shake before him.

" _W-who? Sire?"_ the creature squeaked.

"Her _parents,"_ Jareth spat the word. If he didn't care for them before, he despised them now. They had gone through with the divorce and had completely dragged their daughter through the mud in the process. Her mother, especially, had been especially terrible.

Linda had tried gaining custody of Sarah. Purely for monetary gain in child support, Jareth was sure. To sway Sarah in choosing to live with her, Linda had showered her with gifts and, even more precious to the young girl, attention. Sarah's mother had started speaking to her daughter more, taking her out on "mother-daughter" outings, and acting genuinely interested in Sarah's happy ramblings.

Then, Linda got a boyfriend. The fact that she was still legally married wasn't what peeved Jareth, but it was her quick turnaround. Now that the vile woman had a _rich and famous_ beau, she decided she no longer needed custody of young Sarah.

So Linda completely cut the young girl out of her life.

Jareth had just witnessed Sarah receive a letter from her mother. She had read its contents again and again, her mouth agape and disbelieving. Linda was leaving for Hollywood.

And she was not going to take Sarah with her.

If Jareth had thought the pull at the time Sarah learned about her parents' divorce had been especially strong, he was not prepared for what followed this betrayal.

His magic _sizzled_ in his veins. The pull was so incredibly, impossibly strong that Jareth nearly _destroyed_ his body trying to resist it. His fingers dug into the armrests of his throne so strongly that he cracked and splintered the wood. A cold sweat broke out over the King's brow as he struggled against his own magic.

The magic that was trying so desperately to reach out to answer Sarah's silent plea.

Finally, when the pull subsided (no doubt because young Sarah had cried herself to sleep) Jareth collapsed to the ground.

Unconscious.

When he finally came to, perhaps a few hours after he had collapsed, Jareth's eyes opened to view a rather unpleasant sight.

A goblin was peering into his face at such close proximity that Jareth could distinguish the layers of dirt that covered its face. It was yelling something at him, too.

" _Kingsy? Kingsy O-K? Why Kingsy fall down?"_

"Get away from me," he groaned. He had hoped to sound a bit more demanding, but the simple task that was speaking was painful to him.

It had been an absolute nightmare finding his way back to his chambers. His magic seemed to have evaporated out of his body, so the trek to his bed proved to be more exhausting than a thirteen hour run through his labyrinth.

When the King did finally collapse into his impossibly soft bedding, his consciousness quickly escaped him once again.

He spent the next month recovering.

Truly, the only reason it took so long to recover from this massive expenditure of energy was because it was repeatedly tapped into over the course of this time.

Lucky for Jareth, he was passed out cold the next few times Sarah's pull called to him, and these pulls were especially strong due to the freshness of Sarah's hurt. However, when he did wake, he once again had to use what was left of his strength to fight against the magic that longed to answer Sarah's unconscious pleas.

After that month, Sarah's pain had subsided and Jareth was once again able to restore his magic and his strength. He was relieved.

That was, until he summoned a crystal to look upon his dear Sarah.

What he saw caused the breath to catch in his throat and his heart to clench painfully.

He saw it. In her eyes that has always been brimming with curiosity, wonder, and happiness, there was now _pain,_ too.

Jareth watched it all. He watched every time she felt betrayed, looked-over, forgotten, and invisible. Jareth watched as the pain in her eyes grew and grew until it dominated her.

Jareth watched and despaired.

Finally, on the day Sarah's father and stepmother began dressing the nursery, Jareth was granted permission to lead Sarah into the next phase of the test.

As Sarah stormed into her room slammed her door, it appeared on her bed. When she unknowingly threw herself upon it and discovered it, she would read its title aloud.

" _Labyrinth."_

Jareth inhaled slowly as he watched her within his crystal. Then, he turned his gaze to the window outside his throneroom. He looked upon his labyrinth and knew that soon it would have its champion.

And he would have his princess.

* * *

Author's Note:

Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it so, so much.

We are almost there. I can't even believe it. So far, this is the last chapter I have planned and written before the finale.

Look forward to it!

*If you're confused about the title of this chapter, I'll go ahead and tell you the reason for its title: It's what happened (within the world of this fic) right before the events of the movie.


	13. The Aftermath

" _I say, does anyone want to play a game of Scrabble?"_

Seven games of Scrabble, two competitions of Chicken Toss, a round of Goblin Ale that was not drunk by any humans in the room (there being only one), and an explosion of chicken feathers later, Sarah William's victory party for defeating the Labyrinth drew to a close. She waved a jovial goodbye to all her friends as they returned back to their homes. Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus were the last ones to leave. She received a wave, a furry hug, and a deep bow from each of them respectively.

" _Should you need us…"_

Sarah sat down on the edge of her bed and surveyed the catastrophe that was her bedroom. Goblins, she realized, were worse than frat boys when it came to trashing a party. Sarah sighed and wiped a clump of orange fur off of her comforter. She was too tired to attempt any sort of cleaning, which aggravated her. Ever since she was about five years old she had always kept her room clean and tidy.

" _What a pity."_

"What a mess," said a smooth voice.

Sarah's head snapped up and her eyes widened in surprise. Having appeared before her seemingly out of thin air stood the Goblin King wearing a smirk and completely donned in his midnight-encrusted armour. He had his hands placed upon his hips and his eyes shone with an indecipherable twinkle.

"I don't know why _you_ look so cocky," quipped Sarah. "After all, I _did_ just beat you."

The Goblin King held up his hands in mock-defense. "No need to be so abrasive, Sarah. You won fair and square. Truly, I expected no less from you."

Sarah eyed him suspiciously. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh yeah? Then why are you here?"

"I've come to give you your prize," he told her. His tone suggested it was the most obvious thing in the world. He flicked his wrist and a crystal appeared in his hand.

"I have my prize," said Sarah. She eyed the crystal warily. "I got my baby brother back."

"Your brother was your goal. He was not your prize. _This-"_ Jareth held up the crystal in offering. "This is your prize."

" _It's a crystal, nothing more..."_

"You already offered me my dreams," said Sarah. She hadn't moved an inch. She watched him toy with the crystal in his hand.

Jareth grinned toothily. "Indeed I did, Sarah. You defeated my labyrinth spectacularly. Although, near the end there I _had_ worried for a moment that you had forgotten your lines."

Sarah's brows were knitted together in confusion. "Wait, you _wanted_ me to win?"

"I wanted you to _pass_."

"But why?"

"Because every teacher wishes for his student to pass her test."

"Test?"

"Just take the crystal, Sarah." Walking forward, Jareth took Sarah's hand in his own and placed the crystal in her palm. It was smooth and somehow warm to the touch; almost comfortingly so. Jareth's eyes bore into hers and in their depths she saw something akin to pleading. "It is your reward."

Her voice was barely more than a whisper when she asked, "What is it?"

An intense emotion made Jareth's voice even richer when he responded, "Your _memories._ "

Unable to help herself any longer, and feeling as if an invisible force was tugging her head down, the Champion of the Labyrinth peered into the crystal.

The Champion remembered everything.

The elation had been expected. The tears, however, had not.

" _My kingdom is as great."_

Looking up at Jareth with wide, suddenly watery eyes, Sarah placed a shaking hand over her mouth.

"Hello, my brave heroine," he greeted warmly. His smile seemed to bring light to the whole room, without any sort of edge or condensation to it. Emotions that had been invisible to her before were now present in his eyes. Pride, joy, respect…

Love.

"Jareth," Sarah croaked.

The Goblin King threw his head back and laughed. Looking back to her, his smile became even more radiant and he opened his arms in invitation.

Without hesitation, Sarah threw herself into his embrace. He hugged her fiercely, but not before he had magically replaced his armor with soft breeches and a flowy poet's shirt. Sarah buried her face into his shoulder and they desperately held on to each other.

Finally reunited.

"Why did you take them away?" Sarah asked as Jareth ran a soothing hand through her hair. As happy as she was, there was an edge of hurt on her tone. "My memories?"

"Because, Sarah mine, I had one last test for you," Jareth replied, squeezing her gently so she wouldn't pull away.

"The Labyrinth," she said, the realization dawning.

"Yes, my labyrinth." Jareth placed a tender kiss on her temple. "You learned many lessons in there, did you not?"

" _Things are not always as they seem."_

"I did," Sarah confirmed. "But I still don't know why."

Jareth gently took her chin between his thumb and index finger and lifted her head so she would meet his eyes. His tone was entirely serious when he told her, "So you may come to the Underground with me."

Sarah expelled a short breath. Her eyes searched his desperately. "To be your princess?"

"Yes," he told her. "Then, perhaps in time, my Queen."

Sarah's eyes lit with understanding, but she looked surprised.

" _But what no one knew is that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the the girl…"_

"Sarah," Jareth began. His expression was intense in its severity. "Do you want to be mine?"

"Forever?"

"Yes."

Sarah smiled. "Not long at all."

" _There's such a sad love_

 _Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel_

 _Open and closed within your eyes_

 _I'll place the sky within your eyes…"_

 _fin_

* * *

Author's Note:

I cannot say than you enough to everyone out there who commented, favorited, followed, and enjoyed this journey with me. I am amazed that something that started out as a small little blurb in one of my notebooks turned into _this._ It has truly been a pleasure to write and I hope it has been an enjoyable read. Young Sarah and Caretaker Jareth will always be in my heart. I want to give some shoutouts to those who always left a kind review and/or shot me a PM that encouraged and motivated me:

Zatara1324

RicherWorldBuilding

FireShifter

Aurora Kemanche

babyvfan

Cassodembreankia (Cass) (jfc one of your reviews was so long and hilarious and I still bust out laughing when I read it)

Again, thank you to all who took the time out of their lives to read, favorite, and comment on my frankly ridiculous story. I love you all.

BONUS:

"Really, Sarah, this room is a mess."

"Well I don't feel like cleaning it."

"Well I don't feel like breaking my neck in here."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm cleaning."

"Jareth, you know that doesn't go there."

"If you don't like where I put your things, then feel free to move them."

"Get your glittery butt out of here."


End file.
